


Work in Progress

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate BB-8 Origin Story, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben Solo builds BB-8, Canon Rewrite, Fluff and Angst, Jedi Ben Solo, Light Angst, M/M, Mechanic Ben Solo, POV Ben Solo, Pre-Slash, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Teen Angst, Teen Years, Teenage Dorks, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Young Ben Solo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 21:18:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14341110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: How BB-8 came to be.





	Work in Progress

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Because I love this fan theory, and considering this is a sort of AU, I figured I’d put it to work. (Canon? What is canon, anyway?)

It’s one of those ideas that Ben gets, to build a BB unit for Poe. It only seems logical, after all; Poe’s frequently in the New Republic fleet, and he needs someone to keep him company. When he brings it up to Poe, he swears that Poe’s face brightens, and he doubts Poe could look any more beautiful, in his opinion.

It’s not just his face, though Poe has the sort of face that reminds Ben of a hero out of a holovid, or someone out of a fairytale. It’s the sheer luminous happiness that he gets that makes his eyes sparkle, or sort of crinkle around the corners when he smiles. The sort of happiness that gets his voice bright and exuberant. Ben doesn’t say it out loud, of course — he doubts he can. Some things can’t be put into words. He’s only fifteen years old, but he knows that such things are very, very real. 

“I love the idea, Ben,” Poe says, and even that sends a sort of warmth through Ben that he doesn’t want to stop. 

***

Ben talks about his feelings for Poe even as he puts the droid together (with help from the instruction manual), not in full, but he tells the droid the truth about Poe. 

“You’ll love him,” he says to the work-in-progress that is his droid. “He’s kind and funny and brave and caring and loving and good.” He knows it’s a lot of “and”s, but honestly? Poe deserves a lot of “ands”. “He’s the best pilot in the galaxy. And...” Ben trails off. “And he’s so gorgeous.”

 _And he doesn’t know._ Even if Poe did, Ben thinks, he’d probably see Ben the way that Ben sees himself — a fifteen year old dweeb who knows more about Jedi lore and the insides of droids than relationships. Someone who’s terribly awkward, in more ways than one. 

He’s still a Padawan. A geeky, goofy-looking Padawan who isn’t a Knight yet — but he will be, one day. One of the best. 

***

 It’s presenting Poe with the finished droid, BB-8, that he finds it’s worth it just to see the look on Poe’s face, that smile that could light up the whole room. “Ben,” he says, “Thank you. Thank you so much!”

He hugs Ben, and Ben feels his heart flutter before he’s all but crushed against Poe’s smaller body. BB-8 beeps cheerfully, clearly delighted, and Ben says, even as he draws away, “No problem.”

He knows he’d do anything for Poe, and this is no exception. 

  _I love you,_ he thinks, _more than you could possibly know._


End file.
